Thanks Shessi, but what I am trying to do is just compile two gauges to start. I already have enough tools to put them into a panel once I have the gauges. Neither of the tools you listed will actually build .gau files from code according to their documentation.
At the moment, I have been successful on a Windows Vista machine in doing the compile using MinGW, but I can't install this on a Windows 98 machine and the gauges resulting from the Vista machine will crash CFS on the Windows 98 system.
It's been many years since I've built any FS98 gauges and I do remember a few little quirks if you're using the MinGW or Borland compilers. I use MS Visual Studio (I think I was using version 5.x back then).
This was long before the days of 64-bit OSes or Vista/7/8 so I don't know of any issues with building FS98 gauges on those operating systems. Is your Vista machine 64-bit? If so, that would be the hangup I suspect but I'm not positive. I think there should be some project settings you could use to allow the GAUs to be used on a Win98 machine but I don't know for sure.
You should be able to find an older version of the MinGW compiler that works on a Win98 machine. I did use it on 98 back when I was just starting on the gauges.
I know there have been a couple of guys using the MS Visual Studio Express IDE for gauges, but this was for FS2000 and newer stuff. This is the free for non-commercial use version and does have some limitations. http://www.visualstudio.com/en-us/do...loadFamilies_4
Thanks for the suggestions. I have a Vista Home Edition which is 32 bit. I also do some C Programming for utilities on the Windows 98 machine which is what I use for a CFS development machine. I figure if it will run on this old machine, it will run anywhere. The compiler I have been using is Delorie's GnuC. It works fine for a OS independent project such as manipulating binary or text files, but doesn't have the include files and libraries for developing Windows DLLs. There isn't a version of Delorie GnuC for Vista.
The funny thing about MinGW and working with the Gauge SDK is that the header files included by <windows.h> have type definition conflicts with those in the SDK from Microsoft. With a successful compile, the gauge works on Windows 2000, but crashes the sim on Windows 98.
I figure others have obviously done this, so it must be possible. To start, I am trying for a twin engine Tachometer and Manifold Pressure gauge.
Would appreciate any other ideas for a workable combination of compilers / libraries.
Since the last post in this thread, many changes have come about.
The Vista Computer that I was using died at the end of 2014.
It was replaced with a Windows 8.1 machine in early 2015.
My Daughter's computer needed to be replaced last year.
When my Daughter got her new machine, I needed to install a copy of MS Office for her.
I knew I had the installation disks and license key for the old Vista machine and it was never going to be used again.
The problem was to find the installation media.....
I went through my stash of old installation media and found several complete versions of Microsoft Visual Studio.
I had never used them because I never had a need for them.
In doing a little checking online, I found that I had a version that was suitable for Windows 98.
Unfortunately, that version did not install correctly (probably because of a lack of available space on my C: drive).
(Why does everything want to install on the C: drive? I have plenty of space on other drives.)
In poking around a little further, I found that I also had a full version of Visual Studio 2005 as well.
It seems to work on my Windows 8,1 machine even though the Compiler is 32-bit.
Ever nicer is the fact that the code it generates runs just fine on my old Windows 98 SE development machine.
My belief was that Microsoft's SDKs should be pretty compatible with their own compilers.
It turned out that I wasn't entirely correct but it was close. There was much less incompatibility with Visual C++ than with any of the other compilers I had tried.
At this point, I still cannot get everything in the FS98 SDK to work, but most of it does and from them, I have been able to build a couple Tachometers and Manifold Pressure Gauges.
There are still issues though:
The Tachometers seem to work well enough with AIR files derived from the stock P-51D but not with some other AIR files.
The Manifold Pressure variable in the FS98 SDK only reads up to about 65 inches Hg.
Some WW2 Engines ran at much higher boost settings.
I have also managed to build a N2 Tachometer for Jet Engines with the same process.
At least this is a start. Hopefully I can work out the remaining issues.
The limit now is my own lack of knowledge.
Members who have read this thread: 2
Posting Permissions
Bookmarks